Asian Flush: The Ultimate Guide
What is Asian Flush and what the hell causes it?
Asian Flush is caused by a deficiency in the ALDH2 (alcohol dehydrogenase) enzyme. This enzyme breaks down acetaldehyde which is one of the main by-products of alcohol break down and responsible for the majority of the symptoms of a hangover.
Acetaldehyde is a toxic substance that is produced by the body when alcohol is broken down by the liver, it is responsible for liver damage and many of the worst symptoms following alcohol consumption, including Asian Flush. If you suffer from Asian flush you are probably all too familiar with the following symptoms which acre caused by the build-up of acetaldehyde:
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Facial flushing – rose-red cheeks as well as other body areas
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Nausea and vomiting
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Headaches
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Fast heart rate
Although it is impossible to stop Asian flush all together, there are a few steps you can’t take to support and aid recovery of the liver.
1) Amino acids – N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
This amino acid is commonly used in hospitals around the world as an antidote to paracetamol overdose. It is believed that NAC is used by the liver to produce more glutathione, known as the master antioxidant which swoops around the body to clear up free radicals.
The breakdown of acetaldehyde will produce huge amounts of free radicals which glutathione will help clear up before too much damage is done.
Some animal studies have shown that giving NAC can significantly reduce the amount of acetaldehyde produced from alcohol consumption. Although there is not much research on its use in Asian flush syndrome specifically, it could have a role to play.
Yeti & The Fox contains NAC as well as Glutathione to top up your levels, supporting wellness after drinking.
2) Antihistamines
Histamine is released by certain white blood cells when they sense the body is under attack. As explained earlier, Asian flush syndrome is not an allergic reaction, but this white blood cell response can be initiated by a build-up of certain chemicals in our system. Acetaldehyde may again have an important role here. A study into using antihistamines for Asian flush has shown improvement in their flushing symptoms.
3) Slow down
Give your liver a chance to process the alcohol by slowing down your drinking.
4) Antioxidants
Free radicals play a huge role in making you feel awful after drinking in general. The process of free radical production goes into overload in Asian flush as acetaldehyde builds up the body.
Yeti & The Fox contains Vitamin B 6 which is important for metabolism, movement, memory, energy expenditure and blood flow. The B6 used in YATF is P5P- the most effective form. P5P promotes physical energy and increases mental energy.
5) Rehydrate
Drink plenty of water- it really does work. Alcohol is a diuretic meaning that it can stimulate your kidneys to lose more fluid than you’re actually consuming. In fact, after drinking a 250ml glass of wine, you will lose an extra 120mls of fluid. The more hydrated you are, the more dilute the toxins in your system will be which will allow your kidneys to flush away the harmful by-products more easily.
Read more about Asian Flush here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/asian-flush-asian-glow-drinking